Early Years Apprentice Practitioner - Writtle

Summary

Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool in Writtle is currently looking for a Nursery Apprentice to help provide high-quality childcare whilst working toward a recognised qualification. We offer a benefits portal, discounted childcare and a host of wellbeing benefits.

Wage

£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday - shifts to be agreed at offer stage. 40 hours per week

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 September 2026

Duration

1 year

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

At Grandir, our mission is to inspire children to grow into happy, smart, and healthy individuals who thrive. We believe that exceptional childcare and education are achieved when children and families are genuinely placed at the heart of everything we do. As a well-known and sought-after employer in the childcare sector, we recognise that it is our dedicated people who deliver outstanding education and care, always putting children and families first.

As a Nursery Apprentice, you will be expected to provide the highest standard of care and education while gaining hands-on experience in a high-quality childcare setting and working towards recognised childcare qualifications.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Identifying and meeting each child’s individual needs
• Supervising and supporting them throughout the day
• Engaging in a variety of interactive activities such as reading stories, helping at mealtimes, playing games, and changing nappies

You will act as a positive and practical role model, build friendly and professional relationships with staff and parents, and ensure you fully understand and follow safeguarding procedures.

In return, we offer a wide range of benefits including access to an employee benefits portal with discounts at hundreds of high street stores, a staff referral scheme with cash rewards, heavily discounted childcare, a dedicated ‘Wellbeing Day’ just for you, 24/7 remote GP appointments with home-delivered prescriptions, and a healthcare cashback plan covering treatments such as dental care and physiotherapy. We also celebrate our team through initiatives like ‘May I Say Thank You’ month, which includes an all-expenses-paid awards ceremony, reward points that can be converted into cash, and additional paid holiday during the Christmas closure to enjoy with your loved ones.

Where you'll work

Groundsmans House
Fox Burrows Lane, Writtle
Chelmsford
CM1 3SS

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

What you'll learn

• Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
• Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
• Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
• Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
• Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
• Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
• Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
• Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
• Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
• Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
• Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
• Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
• Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
• Use learning activities to support early language development.
• Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
• Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
• Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
• Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
• Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
• Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
• Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
• Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
• Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
• Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
• Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
• Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
• Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
• Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
• Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
• Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
• Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
• Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
• Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
• Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
• Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
• Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
• Use learning activities to support early language development.
• Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
• Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
• Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
• Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
• Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
• Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
• Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
• Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
• Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.

Training schedule

Your full role and responsibilities will be set out by your employer. They will provide you with all of the on-the-job training you need to up-skill in your role, and your 20% off-the-job learning will be incorporated as part of your working day.

You will be working towards the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprenticeship standard, which includes:

• Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
• Functional skills in maths and English if required

This will be delivered by your dedicated training provider, Realise.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

Grandir UK is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and an enhanced DBS check will be required for this role. We are an equal opportunity employer and select staff on merit.